Wheel suspension



Feb. 13, 1940. F. w. SLACK WHEEL SUSPENSION 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IN VENTOR Herder-Z0 [7.5laci,

A TTO'RNE Y5 Original Filed Aug. 26, 1936 Feb.'l3, 1940. F. w. SLACK WHEEL SUSPENSION Original Filed Aug. 26, 19:56 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 III INVENTOR fieJer-zc 11 Slacl.

I ATTORNY$- Patented 13, V, f V r UNITED STATES. PATENT OFFICE" warm. sus ension Frederic w. Slack, Detroit, Mich, assignor to Chrysler Corporation, Highland Park, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Application August 26, 1936, Serial No. 97,878

' Renewed July 28, 1939 6 Claims. (01. 267-20) This invention relates to motor vehicles and reently of the remaining ground wheels of the vefers more particularly to improvements in wheel hic'le by reason of my supporting and guiding suspensions of the independently sprung type. mechanism comprising a steering knuckle I ro- One object of my invention is to provide a simtatably journalling the wheel I by the usual 5 plified arrangement of suspension linkage and spindle Hi. The knuckle i5 is swivelly connected 5 shock absorber, reducing the cost of manufacture by a king pin H with the generally vertically exand assembly of the suspension system as a whole, tending knuckle bracket support arm I 8 having and increasing the general efliciency of the susarticulated or pivoted connections at its upper pension when in operation. and lower ends respectively with the upper and w A further object of my invention is to provide lower laterally extending linkages l8 and 20. 10 a simplified relatively low cost wheel suspension The linkages I 9 and 20 may be of any suitable system embodying an improved sway bar or staconstruction, the illustration showing these linkbilizer member mounting and assembly. ages as the wish bone type. Thus, theupper More particularly, I have provided a suspenlinkage l9 comprises a-pair of outwardly consion system which utilizes the pivotal support for verging arms 2! and 22 joined together at 23, 15 the upper linkage to also connect with one of the the arm 2| having a cantilever threaded extenoperating parts of a shock absorber, thereby efsion 24 extending longitudinally of the vehicle fectinga material saving in brackets and mountand providing the desired articulated connection ing parts which are ordinarily provided for the with the upper end of the support arm I8,

shock absorber support. Also, my novelarrangethrough the intermediary of the eccentric wheel 20 ment preferably also embodies an improved camber adjusting bushing 25 if desired. The mounting for another operation part of the shock inwardly extending diverged ends of arms 2| and absorber, such mounting also connecting with a 22 straddle a supporting bracket 26 rigidly sway bar or stabilizer when-used with the system. mounted on .the frame structure Ill by suitable 25 :Further objects and advantages of my suspenfasteners 21, this bracket mounting a longitudi 25 sion system will be more apparent as my specificanally extending pivot pin or shaft 28. This shaft tion progresses, reference being had to the ac- 28 has its longitudinally oppositelyextending end companying drawings illustrating one embodiportions threaded at and 30 for respectively ment of my invention and in which: a providing a pivoted or articulated connection so Fig. 1 is a front elevational view showing a with the inner ends of arms 2i and 22 adjacent 30 portion of a motor vehicle chassis and my indethe bracket 26. pendent wheel suspension mechanism for one of The lower linkage 20 is likewise preferably the steerabl ground wheels. v formed by a pair of arms 3| and 32 converging Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the structure illuslaterally outwardly at articulated connection 3:, trated inFig. 1. 33 with the lower end the support arm 18.

Fig; 3 is, a' side elevational view of the Fig. 1 The inner ends of arms 3| and 32 have articustructure. 7 lated connection with the opposite ends of a sup- Fig. 4 is a detail sectional elevational view taken port shaft 34 rigidly mounted by brackets 35 to as indicatedby the line H of Fig. 1. the underside of the frame front members 12. in Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevational view taken The arms 3| and 32 of the lower linkage 20 are as indicated by the line 55 of Fig. 1. connected intermediate their lengths by a sheet Fig. 6 is a detail sectional plan view illustrating metal member 36 adapted to seat the lower end the connection for one end of theequalizer memof a coil spring 31, the upper end of which acts her, the section being taken as indicated by the against the projecting frame portion {3 for yield-- line 6-8 of Fig. 3. ingly supporting the frame structure l0 on wheel I 45 According to the illustrated embodiment of my l4 through the intermediary of the suspension invention, the motor vehicle is provided with a mechanism. suitable frame structure Ill having the usual side The sheet metal member 36 is provided with a chassis rails, one of which is illustrated at .l l and side boundary vertically extending reinforcing a transversely extending cross member l2 which flange 38 which is at d to take the thrust of connects the side rails H and extends laterally th shock absorbing means and also the stabilizer outwardly therefrom at l3. means when the latter isdesired to be employed.

A typical front steerable ground wheel I is The shock absorber 39 is preferably of the well adapted to have rising and .falling movements known direct actingtelescoping tubular type havrelative to the frame structure l0 and independing the'telescope relatively movable towards 4a 55 of the sound wardly from a ture and wheel and 4!. The lower part 4| as best illustrated in Fig. 4 is mounted on a cantilever or outboard support pin 42 preferably through the intermediary deadening rubber bushing 43, the pin 42 being securedby a fastening means 44 with the aforesaid flange 38 so as to project forwardly therefrom in a general direction longitudinally of the vehicle.

part has its upper end directly connected to the same supporting structure which is already provided for articulating the inner ends of arms 2| and 22 of the upper linkage l9l This is preferably accomplished by providing a forwardextension 45 of shaft 28, the upper end of shock 40 being articulated or pivotally mounted on the extension 45 preferably through a rubber bushing assembly 46 which may be generally similar to that illustrated at 43 in Fig. 4. The arrangement is therefore greatly simplified and the cost minimized by utilizing linkage to connect with one of the moving parts of the shock absorber and also by utilizing the lower linkage and particularly the sheet metal spring support member for connection'wlth the other moving part of 'the shock absorber.

When a stabilizer or anti-sway mechanism is employed, this is preferably in the form of a transversely extending equalizer bar 41 rotatably journalled in a rubber bushing assembly 48 at each of the side frame members ll, each end of the bar being similarly connected to one of the wheel suspension mechanisms. Thus, in the typical mechanism illustrated, the bar 41 has each end portion 49 extended longitudinally rearbearing 48. The end portion 49 has its terminal 50 extending transversely inwardly for support in a rubber bushing 5| carried in the upper end of a hollow tubular link 52, the lower end of which has a similar rubber bushing 53 in which is embedded or articulated for pivoted connection the cantilever end of a support pin fastener 55 to the aforesaid reinforcing flange 38 at a point preferably transversely inwardly spaced from the aforesaid pin 42 as best illustrated in Fig. l. f

In the operation of the suspension system, it

will be apparent that the wheel I4 is capable of independent rising and falling movements, being supported and guided through the support arm l8 and the upper and lower linkages l9 and 20 articulated at their outer and inner ends respectively to the support arm and to the frame structure l0. During such movements of wheel M, the shock absorber 39 will come into the relative movements between the frame strucand when rounding a curve the equalizer bar 41 will come into action to yieldingly resist tilting or swaying of the frame structure according to the well known performance of such torsional devices. My improved arrangement of parts greatly simplifies and lessens the cost of manufacture of the suspension system as a whole by utilizing parts already provided in the system for the mounting of the shock absorber as well as the operating ends of the equalizer 41.

Various modifications and changes will be apparent from the teachings of-my invention, as-

defined in the appended claims, and it is. not my intention to limit my invention to the particular details of construction and mode of operation shown and described for illustrative purposes.

I claim:

1. In a motor vehicle having a frame structure, a road wheel disposed at one side of said frame The companion shock absorber action to dampen said support bracket for supporting structure, means structurally connecting said wheel and frame structure for supporting and guiding said wheel for independent rising and falling movements, including upper and lower linkages, means yieldingly supporting said framestructure on said supporting and guiding means, said lower linkage comprising a sheet metal member having a side boundary reinforcing flange, a

shaft supported by said frame structure adjacent the inner end of said upper linkage for pivotally supporting said upper linkage, and a shock absorber comprising relatively movable parts respectively pivotally connected to said shaft and reinforcing flange.

2. In a motor vehicle having .a frame structure, a road wheel disposed at each side of said frame structure, means structurally each of said wheels and said frame structure for supporting and guiding said wheels for independent rising and falling movements, each of said supporting means including upper and lower linkages, means yieldingly supporting said frame structure on each of said wheel supporting means, each of said lower sheet metal support for one of said yielding means, each of said sheet metal supports having a side boundary reinforcing flange, a stabilizer bar rotatably supported by said frame structure, and means pivotally connecting opposite ends of said stabilizer bar respectively to the reinforcing flanges of said sheet metal supports.

3. In a motor vehicle having a ture, a road wheel disposed at each side of said frame structure, means structurally connecting each of said wheels with said frame structure for supporting and guiding said wheels for independent rising and falling movements, each of said supporting and guiding means including upper and lower linkages, means yieldingly supporting said frame structure on each of said supporting and guiding means, each of said lower linkages comprising a sheet metal member hav-- ing a side boundary reinforcing flange, a shaft supported by said frame structure adiacentthe inner end of each of said upper linkages for pivotally supporting an upper linkage, a pair of shock absorbers each comprising relatively movable parts respectively pivotally connected to one. of said shafts and a reinforcing flange, a stabilizer member supported by said frame structure, and means pivotally connecting the opposite ends of said stabilizer member respectively to said reinforcing flanges.

4. In a motor vehicle having a frame structure,

connecting frame strucarms having diverging inner ends straddling said support bracket, a coil sprmg for supporting said frame structure on said supporting and guiding means, a sheet metal seat for said spring carried by said lower linkage, shock absorber means including a pair of relatively movable telescoped parts, means for articulating one of said telescoped parts to said spring seat, and means including a shaft carried by said support bracket for supporting the inner ends of said arms relative to said frame structure, said shaft having an end portion projecting cantilever-like from the other of said telescoped parts with respect to said frame structure outside of the vertical projection of the space between the arms of said upper linkage.

5. In a. motor vehicle having a frame structure, a road wheel disposed at one side of said irame structure. means structurally connecting said wheel and frame structure for supporting and guiding said wheel for independent rising and falling movements. including upper and lower linkages. at least one of said linkages comprising a sheet metal member having a side boundary reinforcing flange. a shock absorber comprising relatively movable parts, and means for operatively connecting one of said shock absorber parts to said reinforcing flange.

6. In a motor vehicle having a frame structure,

a road wheel disposed at one side of said frame structure. means structurally connecting said wheel and frame structure for supporting and guiding said wheel for independent rising and falling movements. including upper and lower linkages. at least one of said linkages comprising a sheet metal member having a side boundary reinforcing flange, a stabilizer member extending generally transversely across said frame structure. and means operatively connecting said stabilizer member to the reinforcing flange of said sheet metal member.

I F'REDERIC W. SLACK. 

